"I
have always been attracted to the splendor and rarity of the art,
as well as the wealth and melange of gem materials.

Gemstones,
with their bold colors and
unusual external or internal patterns, trigger
scenes for the imagination.I've
also always been fascinated with the versatility of the art,
an art that lends to free-standing sculpture and jewelry at the same time.I'm
constantly mesmerized by the numerous lapidary challenges
that different gem materials pose."

was
born Helen Serras in New York City, N.Y.

Helen
moved at the age of 5 with her parents to theirhomeland
of Athens, Greece.Helen
studied drawing and painting(1973-76)
with the late painter Vrasidas Vlahopoulos,and
History of Art in Athens.

Helen
holds a Masters degree (MFA) in Sculpturefrom
the prestigious Hochschuele Der Kuenste(University
of Arts) in West Berlin, Germany,after
6 years of study with professors Hans Nagel andHarro
Jacob (1976-1983).

During
her last two years (1981-1983) at the school,Helen
gathered great experience in molds and castsworking
as Tutor of the Plaster Workshop in the Sculpture Division.

In 1983,
she returned to Greece
and worked in bronze and mixed media.She
immediately became a member of theGreek
Chamber of Arts/Sculpture Division,and
of the Sculptors Association.She
worked and exhibited there as a professional sculptoruntil
1988. She presented two solo exhibitions andtook
part in numerous sculpture group exhibitions.

A trip
to Singapore in 1984 left strong impressionsof
the gigantic, tropical, eternal trees.They
inspired a series of sculptures,the
"Trees ",reflecting
a parallel course of man and nature.The
two major works from that series,the
"Tree of Life",a 5.7'
tall mixed media sculpture istoday
in the "H. Antoniou" collection,and
the "Parallel Lives ",a 6'
tall mixed media sculpturein
the "Hatzisavvas" collection.

While
carrying on her large sculpture work ,she
served a long apprenticeship (1984-1988)in
Gem Sculpture [Glyptography]with
the English masterNik
Kielty Lambrinides.Mr.
Kielty Lambrinides,half
Irish and half Greekfrom
his mother's side,is
the last master of the English School,the
pupil and successor ofCecil
Thomas since 1976.He
moved to Greece in 1980with
the dream to createa school
of gem carving and gemology.

Helen's
artistic future would soonchange
after the discoveryof
the world of carved gemstones.Helen
became the latest artistin
a long line of mastersof
the English School.She
took the 3-year courseon
Glyptography/Glyptologyat
the "Glyptography Center"in
Athens, the school created byKielty
Lambrinides in 1984and
sponsored by EOMMEX(Hellenic
Organization of Small Industries and Handicrafts).During
that period, Helen also earnedher
degree in Gemology ( FGA )through
theGemmological
Association of Great Britain .

From
1986 to 1988 she also taught Drawing, Glyptography,Glyptology
and Gemology at the "Municipal School ofGlyptography
& Jewelry" in Volos, Greece, andthe
"Lapidary School" in Agia Sofia,near
Hania, Crete, sponsored by EOMMEX.

In 1988
Helen moved to Maryland,into
the Washington, D.C.Metropolitan
area and established her studio,the
"Glyptography Center,"
now known as "The Gem Art Center."From
that point on she hascompletely
devoted her workto
the art and science of gem sculpture.

Helen
joined the Gem Artists of North Americain
early 1997 as an Artist Member.She
has exhibited with the groupat
the Lizzadro Museum in Elmhurst Illinois,several
times at theCarnegie
Museum of Natural Historyin
Pittsburgh, PA,the
Pittsburgh Ballet Opera,and
the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum.

Helen
has done research on the lineage of the Masters of the English School.In
1991 she presented “20th Century Masters of the English School” atthe
poster session of the International Gemological Symposium inLos
Angeles , California.

In 1995
Helen worked with Dr. Julia Kagan,Curator
of Post classical Engraved Gemsat
the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg Russia,and
they combined their similar research on thelineage
of the Masters of the English School,and
created"Masters
of the English School 14th - 20th Centuries" into
a single new list research, which will be published soon.

In 2002 and 2003, Helen served asPresident
of the
Gem Artists of North America (GANA).

Helen
is a Fellow member of theGemological
Association of Great Britain ,a member
of theGreek
Chamber of Arts/Sculpture Division,member
of theGIA
Alumni Washington DC Chapterand
of several Gem & Lapidary Societies.She
is a past president of theGem
Lapidary and Mineral Society of Washington DCand
has received many awardsfor
her contribution to the clubs,especially
for hereducational efforts.The
Eastern
Federation of Mineralogical and Lapidary Societiesawarded
her its highest awardin
the Each One, Teach One competition in 1994.

Helen
is a Firm Member of AGTA (American Gem Trade Association).

Helen
Serras-Herman Inducted in the Lapidary Hall of Fame !

A
SIGNIFICANT HONOR

byCarolyn
& Steve Weinberger

Becoming
an inductee in theNational
Rockhound and Lapidary Hall of Fameis
a singular honor bestowed on only six
individuals each year !The
Hall, housed in Murdo, SD, was the brainchild ofJune
Culp Zeitner the well-known author. Categories
for awards each year areEducation,
Fossils, Jewelry, Lapidary and Minerals.There
is also a general category for
honoring deceased individuals.Formal
announcement of thenewest
inductees will be made viaThe
Lapidary Journal(see
February 2004 issue).

Inductees
are chosen from nominationssent
by individuals each year.We’re
pleased to announce thatone
of our own members,HELEN
SERRAS-HERMANwas
selected by theHall
of Fame Committee for induction for 2003!!!! Congratulations
to Helen!

Today
all of her large sculptural works
in bronze and mixed media
are in various private collections in Greece,
the “Haris Antoniou” Art
Collection,
the“Municipal
Art Gallery of Pireus”,
and over 80 works are housed
in the “Theodore Hatzisavas”
Sculpture Collection, in Athens.

Also,
in the “Steglitz Cemetary” inBerlin,
Germany, there is a BronzeTombstone
Relief Sculpture,which
was created as a special commission.

In
Tucson, AZ, Helen exhibited in
2002 and 2003
at the Gem Galleria Gem Art Show,
at the Historic Manning House,
and 3 times from 2004 to 2006
at the GemFair- American Gem Trade
Association
(AGTA) at the Convention Center.
She has also exhibited at theDenver Gem & Mineral Show,
and in 2006 at the
AGTA GemFair in JCK Show at The Venetian Hotel and
Sands Expo Center
in Las Vegas, NV,
where she was a speaker as well..

(For
upcoming shows and exhibits click on "Events" below)

Since
1988, Helen has given over 60 lectures on Historical and practicalaspects
of Gem Sculpture. Besides presenting Gem Sculpture anddescribing
her own work, Helen has given lectures and workshops on

“Gem
Sculpture: from the ancient world to the 20th century EnglishSchool”

“Gem
ID instruments”

“Gem
Sculpture - The art of Creating Seals”

“Carving
- What is an original piece and what a duplicate"

“Ivory-
History and its use”

“Faberge,
His Life and Work”

“Gem
Sculpture over the Ages”

“Wonders
of Nature- Facts & Lore about gemstone beads”

“Ancient
Greek Ivory Carvings”

“Reflections
of the Past, Inspirations for the Future” “Sunstone,
the beautiful gem from Oregon"
“The Fine Art of Gem Sculpture”
“Mining Opal in Nevada & Sunstone on Oregon”

Wildacres
Spring 2006 Lecture Series

Helen
Serras-Herman was
the Guest speaker
for the Spring Session of the
EFMLS Wildacres retreat workshops,
in Spruce Pine, NC,
where she presented 6 different lectures.

1.
From Sculpture to Gem Sculpture

A
retrospective of Helen Serras-Herman’s
30-year artwork will familiarize participants
with the Fine Art of Gem Sculpture.

2. The origin of Glyptic
Arts

A
historic overview of Engraved Gems,
covering Ancient Mesopotamian Seals,
Ancient Greek Engraved Seals and Cameos,
Renaissance Engraved Gems,18th-20th century
and contemporary works. Accompanied by a Lexicon
and explanation of all the various terms used to describe the art.

3. Criteria for
Evaluating a Gem Carving

This
seminar identifies the important factors of the Concept and the

Execution Procedures of
a gem carving.

4. Ancient Greek Ivories

This
Lecture examines the ancient Greek carved
ivory production from the Minoan ivories of 2000 BC,
through the Mycenean and classical age works,
to the Hellenistic ivories of the 4th- 3rd centuries BC.

5. Chalcedonies and
Jaspers used for Carving

A presentation of
monochromatic Chalcedonies,
including Chrysoprase, Blue Chalcedony and Cornelian,
and colorful Jaspers used for carving,
with a closer look at the popular Ocean Jasper@.

6. Gem Carving,
Inspiration & Skills

-
Inspiration and subject themes

- How to get started with
Gem Carving

-Finding
& Selecting gem rough for carving

Helen
has given lectures to the following Societies: "Symposium on Agate and
Cryptocrystalline Quartz"

Colorado School
of Mines Geology Museum, Denver, CO

EFMLS Wildacres retreat workshops, in
Spruce Pine, NC

AGTA GemFair
in
JCK Show
seminars at
The Venetian Hotel and Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas, NV